180 riders contest for awards including 11 4WD vehicles

12 February 2015, Abu Dhabi, UAE  ~ Endurance riders from around the world will battle for top honors in the prestigious His Highness The President of the United Arab Emirates Endurance Cup, a 160-km event organized by the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival at the Emirates International Endurance Village near Abu Dhabi on Saturday, 14 February.

Addressing a press conference at the Eastern Mangroves hotel on Thursday, Adnan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club said the event was being held under the supervision of HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

“Around 180 riders representing the UAE, USA, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, Belgium, Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia will be part of the starting line-up and the riders will be competing for both individual as well as team honors,” he said.“Teams of four riders each will vie for the team championship for which a 4WD vehicle is the winning prize. The top ten riders in the individual competition will each receive a 4WD car while all those who complete the ride will get a slice of the Dh 60,000  ($16,335) on offer,”  said Al Nuaimi.

Certificate of legal registration of IFHRA

At the same conference, Khalid Hussain from the General Authority for Youth and Sports Welfare confirmed the registration of the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA) and conveyed the greetings of HH Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture Youth & Community Development over the same.

Hussain confirmed and announced the official certificate of legal registration of IFHRA as the first international body with its Head Quarters in Abu Dhabi.

Ms Lara Sawaya,Executive Director of the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival, Chairman of the International Federation of Horse Racing Academies (IFHRA) and Chairman of Ladies & Apprentice Racing Committees in the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities (IFAHR) said it was a proud day for Abu Dhabi for hosting the IFHRA office.

Commenting about the meeting of the Executive Committee of IFHRA, Ms Sawaya said there were two new countries waiting to join the organization-Bahrain and Oman-and we are very privileged to welcome them.

Bahrain joins the Global Festival

Welcoming the Bahraini delegation headed by Sheikha Hayat bint Abdul Aziz Al Khalifa, Ms Sawaya  announced that under the directives of HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, Supreme President of the Family Development Foundation (FDF) and Head of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, the 2015 HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship and the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Endurance Ride will be held in Bahrain during March 13 and 14, 2015.

“We are also here to prepare for two important races, the His Highness The President of the United Arab Emirates Endurance Cup and the two versions of President Cup flat races, one for the Purebred Arabians and the other for Thoroughbreds to be held at the Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club,” she said.

“The year 2015 is a very exciting one for the HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival with 102 races to be run with participants from 70 countries in them. Now Norway has become the latest venue of the Wathba Stud Farm Cup series,” she said.

Sheikha Hayat Al Khalifa said: “We are proud in Bahrain to host the HH Shaikha Fatima bint Mubaral Ladies World Championship and HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Endurance Ride. We are grateful to HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak for her strong support for women sports in general and equestrian sport in particular.”

Ian Williams, Endurance Advisor of the Festival said: “I think we are witnessing the continuous development of endurance and the passion of HH Sheikh Mansoor for the sport. We will also have an exciting new competition in Bahrain. And from our side, there will be no stone left unturned to ensure the safety of our riders and welfare of the horses.”

The HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed Al Nahyan Global Arabian Horse Flat Racing Festival is organised by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and coordinated by Abu Dhabi Sports Council in association with Emirates Racing Authority, IFAHR and Emirates Arabian Horse Society, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare with The National Archives as the official partner and Emirates airline as the official carriers and sponsored by Invest AD, Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC),  Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Al Awani General Enterprises, Kabale, Al Wathba Centre, the UAE’s General Women’s Union, the HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition 2015, Dr. Nader Saab Switzerland, Al Wathba Center, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Eastern Mangroves Suites-Abu Dhabi by Jannah, Abu Dhabi Sports Channel and Racing Post.

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